Bhubaneswar: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully conducted the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) off Odisha’s Paradip coast on Thursday.
Conducted under the aegis of National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB), the exercise was held under the theme ‘Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety’, bringing together maritime and aeronautical agencies to demonstrate operational readiness, interoperability and coordinated response to mass rescue operations at sea.
ICG, Navy, Air Force, Shipping Corporation of India, Directorate General of Shipping, Fisheries, Customs, Marine Police, Paradip Port Authority, and the state government agencies took part in the exercise.
Thirty-two observers from 30 countries participated in the exercise, marking a significant step towards strengthening international cooperation in maritime search and rescue. It facilitated exchange of best practices, enhanced global interoperability and reaffirmed India’s role as a dependable maritime search and rescue partner in the region.
The exercise was reviewed by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani.
Fifteen Coast Guard ships, three Dornier aircraft, three Advance Light Helicopters, one Chetak helicopter, IAF C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, two Indian Navy ships were deployed along with civil and state resources and shore-based support units.
The sea drill simulated a mass rescue operation following a concurrent aeronautical and maritime distress emergency. A passenger aircraft carrying 228 persons ditched into the sea near Paradip Port, with the fuselage impacting the container vessel MV Zumba, resulting in structural damage and fire.
The exercise involved activation of the Incident Command Post, firefighting operations, helicopter evacuations, deployment of life rafts and air-droppable life rafts, Jason Cradle and Gemini recovery, rescue basket operations and scramble net procedures. The exercise also included a demonstration of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) capability.
“SAREX-2026 reaffirmed the collective resolve of India and its international partners to build a faster, technology-enabled, and seamlessly coordinated Search and Rescue framework, in line with the vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the spirit of MAHASAGAR,” ICG said.